The Obamas, members in good standing of the liberal enclave of Chicago known as Hyde Park, had attended Seders before. And last year, Obama brought aide Valerie Jarrett and family friend Marty Nesbitt to the impromptu Seder in Pennsylvania. They all plan to attend the friends-and-family Seder tonight at the White House, and 24-year-old Eric Lesser, who handled baggage call during the campaign and now works for special assistant David Axelrod, will lead the service.

The Passover story, with its Exodus themes of liberation and social justice, is a good fit for Team Obama. But one can only imagine how confusing this will be for critics who insist that the Christian president is really a Muslim.

One side note: At the end of the Seder it's traditional to say, "Next Year in Jerusalem." But last year, the campaign crowd ended its service with "Next Year in the White House." This year, one aide said, the staff will use the holiday to reflect "on all that has happened in our lives since last year's Seder in Harrisburg."

Why is this night different from other nights?President Clinton's staff held Seders, but he did not attend, making the Obamas the first to host a Seder at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.